


Timeless Winter

by TheBaronsVeve



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-16
Updated: 2013-09-16
Packaged: 2017-12-26 18:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/968755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBaronsVeve/pseuds/TheBaronsVeve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A glimpse into the strangely domestic life that has befallen Tony Stark and Loki Laufeyson. The former god and the engineer learn the hard way just how important the other is in their life when both experience near death. The question is: Is immortality truly all it is worth? And, when it is so freely given, Tony wonders just how entirely bound to himself Loki truly is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Timeless Winter

**Author's Note:**

> So! Here is my fluffy/sad story for the frostiron bang with absolutely adorable art by qwanderer found here: 
> 
> http://qwanderer.tumblr.com/post/61378257762/illustration-for-timeless-winter-by-thebaronsveve
> 
> Enjoy!

_“I can only note that the past is beautiful because one never realises an emotion at the time. It expands later, and thus we don't have complete emotions about the present, only about the past.”_

-Virginia Woolf

 

There was a darkness that had flooded the room as the sun sunk below the city's horizon, a darkness that was cold, in a way. He stood watching the sun sink behind the tallest of the skyscrapers in Manhattan, his long fingers tracing along the outlines of the rain that had begun to fall. There were some nights that became days too quickly, nights where the darkness disappeared into the light and he found no rest, no respite from the darkness turned to light. It was a nightmare, but one that he could handle so long as there was the muted light beneath the veil of darkness. The light that perpetually shined from the object sunken into the chest of his….

Well, his everything.

And if there was one thing that brought him comfort in those blending days and nights it was the man sleeping a few feet away. The soft whines that came from opposite side of the room jolted Loki from his thoughts and he made his way across the tiled floor, long strides carrying him there terribly quick. Soft coos fell from the once Liesmith’s lips as he pulled the tiny bundle into his arms and rested the whining boy against his chest.  
“Oh, Edward. Hush, now.” He gently ran those long fingers through the thick, dark locks that sat perfectly coiffed atop the boy's little head. The boy seemed to listen, unlike their eldest son, Arrick, would have. Edward truly was the perfect combination of the two with an unusual softness about him that came from neither Loki, nor Tony. Something entirely new and something terribly welcome. From within his arms, Edward gave a muffled cry and wrapped a tiny fingered hand around a tendril of Loki’s raven locks, pulling down as his cries heightened. Loki lifted the boy up a bit, pushing his face against the little boy’s and again cooing against the shell of his tiny ear. “Hush, hush, hush.”  
And the boy did, turning his piercing cries into contented gurgles, with one hand still tangled in the former god's hair. Loki toted the child over to the window, holding him close but turning him to face the expansive view of the sprawling city, coated in rain and sleet. “Edward, you certainly demand a great deal, dearest.”

Tony had been working on the wormhole technology that he’d cracked nearly twenty years ago when the former god had made his descent to Midgard accompanied by the Chitauri army. But this introduction of new technology meant a large amount of travel between cities. Besides the arc reactor tech that Tony had re-introduced years ago, this was one of the biggest breakthroughs in technology the world had ever seen. However, Edward was only three months old and the two were reluctant to have him out of their sights for even a moment. And since the both of them were needed in the discussions and TED talks and what have you, both to establish Loki’s status as Tony Stark’s husband, and for his expertise in the technology, Edward became a permanent attachment to Loki’s hip. Or arms, or shoulders. Really, he ruled the roost if they were being entirely honest. What Edward demanded, Edward got. Which was why when, seconds later, the cherub-esque little one pushed away from Loki’s hold and flopped about in search of the window, the former god moved closer and allowed for those little fingers to streak the perfectly clean floor to ceiling glass. He squealed and laughed maniacally as he pressed his face against the cool surface and blew countless amounts of bubbles against it. “Ugh.” Loki had raised many children. Many. But that didn’t mean that each time he was thrilled when babies showed their more uncouth sides. It simply meant he was used to it and dealt with it in a laissez faire manner. So he simply pulled Edward back against his chest and threaded his fingers back through the thick, black locks. Edward simply nuzzled in close, wrapping his hand back around that black tendril of hair that hung down in Loki’s face. “Well. It seems as though you do not wish to sleep. Am I right, Edward?”

The little one replied by blowing more bubbles against bared, ivory skin. “Ah. Yes. Eloquent.”

Loki shifted the little one onto his hip and walked to the other side of the room where the electric fireplace sat, the red flames burning low and soothing while providing the perfect level of heat throughout the room. He sat the baby onto his lap as he took a seat on the wonderfully cushy chaise next to the fireplace, relishing in its glow. “Perhaps we should take a little stroll?”

Edward looked up at him with large orbs of hazel and smiled as wide as he could. And more bubbles. Loki smirked and stood with the boy, carrying him past the sleeping man curled into a familiar deplorable position, and into the darkened hallway. The Tower was relatively empty this evening, as most of those employed by Stark Industries had gone home, and since the other children were scattered in terms of their living situations, they had the Tower basically to themselves.

“Jarvis, lights at thirty percent, please?” A moment later, the two were graced with warm lighting and Edward began gurgling happily again. “Shall I tell you a story?”  
“S’long as you don’t tell any embarrassing ones.” The rough, sleep abused voice filled the air and Loki turned to see Tony hanging out of the bedroom door with a token half smile on his handsome face.  
“All the embarrassing stories are about you, Anthony. I shall tell them if I like.”

Tony sidled up to the two and slid an arm around the former god. “Funny, I seem to recall a few about you, Lolo.”  
Loki rolled his eyes at the comment and suddenly, the contented child in his arms began to squirm and whine until Tony finally turned dark eyes onto him. “Hey, there! I know, I was here for ten seconds and I didn’t pay attention to you. I know, your whole world ended..it’s ok.”  
Tony reached over and pulled the wriggling child out of Loki’s arms and lifted him high into the air before bringing him back down to cradle into the crook of his arm. Edward visibly settled and smiled again, and, what do you know, more bubbles.  
“Pray tell, what are these ‘embarrassing stories’ you claim to have?”  
The man was not quite glaring at him, but was looking rather intently at the engineer. Tony smirked and directed his words and his gaze to Edward, while clearly still addressing Loki.

“Oh, does Loki not remember the day that Iron Man kicked his gorgeous ass all the way back to Asgard, where he cried all the way home?”  
Loki sputtered and followed behind Tony who had begun to walk.  
“That makes me sound like a weakling and a whining infant.“  
Tony stopped walking and tried to look offended on Edward’s behalf.  
“Stop that. He knows I am not insulting him.”  
“I don’t think he does. Look at him! He’s clearly offended.”  
Edward had decided to shove three toes into his mouth and was trying to blow bubbles against the soft skin. Loki cocked a brow and pulled the little foot free and Edward’s mouth made a little popping sound. He squealed, obviously delighted.

“Clearly offended.” Loki repeated, deadpan.

Tony nodded solemnly. “So. Offended.”

Loki let the tiniest of smiles creep onto elegant features, an action that always warmed the cockles of Tony’s heart, and this delicate smile was no exception. It was funny, how much had remained the same. They carried with them the same dedication to one another that had always held strong, they both remembered every nuance and little quirks the other displayed. Loki knew that the tiniest lift of the left side of Tony’s mouth was a smile meant specifically for him and him alone. It was the first of its kind that Loki had seen--one that was not full of sarcasm and scathing wit, one that wasn’t practiced for the press or for a woman of ill intent, it was a genuine and honest confession. From Anthony Stark to Loki Stark. And it always had been. Tony knew--saw--that when he would walk into a room, the tiniest glint in Loki’s eyes would speak a thousand words and nothing at all to him, all at once. Or if Tony had been away for any amount of time, be it a day or a week, when he would return and the first thing he would meet when he stepped through the door were open arms--both of these things spoke openly to him saying: You are welcomed. You are loved.

These were gifts. Perhaps knowingly given, and perhaps not. They came from an intimate knowledge of one another. Tony knew that Loki, unlike anyone else in his life, had to be taught honesty by displaying it. So, he did just that in those secret smiles. Loki knew from first hand moments that Anthony needed to be told in actions and expressions that he would always be welcome and always be loved. He had not been shown that as a child so Loki would show him now that no matter who didn’t love him or want him in the past, someone not only wanted him but needed him in the present.

Tony had not yet stopped explaining the story of Loki’s would-be defeat as they walked the halls. “And then, Loki’s other children came to live with me and I became a baby daddy of godly proportions. And, of course, because your mother-“

“Father-“

“Mother,” Tony held fast. “-didn’t tell me he could reproduce until after I….er…snuggled with him...” Tony smirks, searching for the best way to avoid saying ‘fucked the haughty scowl right off his face’ to their infant son. “And along came Edie and Arrick. And then three years later..” Tony bopped the little one on the nose receiving a pealing laugh in response.  
Loki rolled his eyes as they came to the lounge area that had become more of a playroom in the last few weeks. A fluffy blue blanket sat in the center of the room with a deep mahogany chest pinning it to the floor. The designs covering the chest were clearly carved into the wood with care and depicted a scene from what might have been a legend but might have been reality. Tony made a beeline for the blanket and plunked down onto it with Edward still cradled in his arms. The moment the little boy realized where he was he pushed his pajama clad feet against his father's arms and wriggled away, flopping onto the blanket with a gurgle and scooted himself over to the wooden box. Tony grinned as he watched his son try desperately to unlatch the thing, knowing all too well that he would figure out how soon enough. And when that happened he would be more than thrilled but until then, Tony took immeasurable pleasure in unlatching the box and revealing the mountain of plush toys held within. The wonderment that struck his little boy at this magical ability to open the box of toys made him feel more like a superhero than being Iron Man ever had. It was something he could never really explain and when he tried it always came out wrong. But he didn’t care. He felt what he felt and that’s all he cared about, for now. He heard the fridge click shut and glanced up just as Loki popped the little bottle into the microwave. The thing hummed to life without Loki doing a thing, Jarvis already well aware of their routine. These three AM strolls about the Tower had become commonplace for the little family and always seemed to end in the lounge-playroom with a warm bottle of milk and the sun rising over the city. Sometimes it was just Loki or just Tony, but more often than not it was all three of them.

“You know as well as I do you were thrilled.” Loki leaned across the counter, settling his elbows onto the marble and resting an angled chin into his palms. “And your little team was utterly horrified.”  
Tony pulled a stuffed duck out of the box and placed it in front of Edward who tackled the thing like a pro NFL star. A mouthful of drool was deposited onto the bright orange beak and Edward squealed his delight for shared kisses from the duck. He gave a thoughtful hum to Loki’s response as he watched Edward nuzzle against the duck and slump down onto his belly on the blanket. The microwave went off with a binging sound and Loki pulled the bottle from it, dabbing a little onto his wrist before snapping the cap back onto it and heading over to Tony and Edward.

“Ohhh. Are you sure that’s not the only reason you wanted to have a baby with me?” Tony taunted as Loki took a seat across from him with Edward still flopped between them.  
Loki had the decency to look offended at the accusation. Both he and Tony knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that both of them were equally ecstatic when they learned of the twins. It was why they’d decided to have Edward.  
Tony shook his head softly and gently pulled the bottle from Loki’s hand. “Babe. I’m joking. Calm your horm-“

The look he got was one of those other nuances of Loki’s that really did mean ‘shut up, Tony’. So he did.

“Eddie! Look!” Tony danced the bottle in front of the little one's eyes and the boy lazily reached for it, keeping his cheek flush with the yellow duck beneath his head. Tony chuckled a little and pulled the boy into his lap, propping his head with one arm and holding the bottle with the other. It was a tad awkward, so after a few minutes of attempting clever bottle feeding maneuvers that were never successful, Tony handed the bottle off to Loki. The once god leaned forward onto his stomach, long legs stretched out behind him, one elbow propping his face up, the other arm carefully poising the bottle for Edward. Little suckling sounds began as Edward wrapped tiny pink lips around the nipple of the bottle. Loki gave a very genuine and sweet smile at the sound. Edward suddenly shot a hand out, reaching for his abandoned duck and with a chuckle, Tony retrieved it, placing it into the little ones stretching hands. After mere minutes, Edward’s lids began to droop closed and those little lips curled into a tiny smile around the nipple. Loki lifted the boy into his arms and cradled him against his chest once more. The boy's breathing softened and he had seemed to fall into a comfortable sleep at the knowledge that his parents were close by and caring for him. Tony crossed his legs and scooted back against the wooden toy chest, gesturing for Loki to follow. He did, laying his head back against the engineer’s stomach and nestling into his lap with the little boy resting comfortably on his pale chest. “He’s so perfect.” Tony had said the words without even realizing he had opened his mouth. He saw Loki’s lips curl into a smile and the once god replied, “Yes. He is.”  
Tony let his hand drift over the little boy’s back and the tiniest hand reached out to grip a single finger, holding onto it as if it was the most important thing on earth. To Tony, he certainly was. His other hand occupied itself in the thick black locks splayed out on his stomach, gently smoothing the wild locks and earning appreciative sighs from the once god.  
Soon enough, his own eyes began to fall over deep brown and exhaustion began to overtake him. “..love you.” He heard the words before his eyes closed and with one last smile Tony replied.  
“You too.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
A heavy knock on the door jarred his whole body with its loudness. One eye cracked open, cursing the light that seemed to attack it from all sides.  
“Dad?”  
The voice that came from the other side of the door was rough, but somehow managed to be gentle all the same. Tony heard the door handle turn and the room was flooded with more light. Tony groaned as pain shot through his head at its invasion.  
Fenrir sighed heavily as he headed to the side of the bed, nudging bottles out of the way with his foot, and he realized with disdain that the collection of them on the floor had been added to since last night. Tony glanced up at him, one eye still screwed shut, and grimaced. His eyes were more red than they were white, and had red rims surrounding them. In his hand, gripped so hard that his knuckles had blanched, was the fluffy blue blanket.  
“There’s a package here for you. I guess I’ll sign for it.”  
Fenrir turned on his heel and headed for the door without giving Tony another glance. “Fen…” his voice was rougher than he expected, and there was a burning in his throat when he spoke. The man glanced back with disappointment written into those strong features. And Tony could read it like a book. “I’m...sorry.”  
Fen said nothing as he turned back to the door, closing it gently behind him. He could hear the conversation just outside the door and wondered if they knew he could.

“Fenrir... is he-“  
“He’s drunk. I figured as much. And he’s got that damned blanket. We should have burned the thing.”  
Tony heard Edith make a sympathetic sort of sound. “No, no. That wouldn’t have helped, it would have made things worse. Besides...I think it’s important that Edward has it.”  
He heard Fenrir give a long sigh that sounded as though he were twice his age. He sounded destroyed. “Yeah. I guess.”

The footsteps continued down the hall until he knew they had left.

Tony groaned again, flipping over onto his back, and dragged the blanket up over his face to shield the light coming in through the massive windows. The room was much smaller compared to the penthouse suite up on the top floor but he didn’t go up there anymore. Hadn't gone up there in months. He couldn't, because every time he did, he relived the whole thing over again.  
His face felt scratchier than he’d remembered and he idly wondered if he could even be trusted to shave his own face at this point. Probably not.  
Tony had always been so strong. He’d always done everything he could for the kids even if it almost killed him. Because he had to be strong. But this time, and God knows he felt awful for it, he just couldn’t find the strength.  
It hadn’t been a climactic battle or some sort of supernatural being, or even a villain that had stolen Loki from him. It had been something so utterly normal and so utterly human that it made him sick to think about.  
The pathologist said that it was a wonder he’d lived as long as he had with all the damage he’d done during the siege on Manhattan. He always knew that Loki’s magick could heal him, he’d witnessed it when Loki fought alongside the Avengers years later. He never thought there would be limits. He never thought magick took such a toll on the user. When Loki had mentioned he’d been feeling a little off in the few weeks before Tony left for Japan, no one had really thought anything of it. He’d only said it once or twice and not even Loki had thought of it again after that. So Tony had left for the conference to present their research findings, leaving Loki and Edward to the task of maternal bonding and cookie baking. He’d returned home, anxious to walk through the door and be greeted by those open arms. He was greeted with a horrible screeching sound that was undoubtedly his son. Tony had dropped his luggage at his feet and looked frantically around for the little boy. He could hear his own heart thumping in his chest as he ran through the penthouse. Finally, he stopped in their bedroom door, relieved to see the little boy sitting on the floor, tears streaming down his face.

“Hey buddy..My poor little guy! Where’s-“

He pushed the door open a little further. And he couldn't breathe.  
Loki was slumped over on the bedroom floor, holding the blanket in his hands while Edward sat curled against him, screaming his protests at being ignored.  
Or was it something worse.  
Tony had run to their sides. The room was small, so it seemed a ridiculous notion to run, but run he did. He whisked Edward into his arms and placed him gently on the bed, kissing his tear wet cheek before dropping to his knees beside the fallen once god. He reached out and the first thing, the wretched and awful thing he realized, was that Loki’s skin was ice cold. Not as it had been when he had displayed his Jotun form, but as if the blood had stopped running beneath the pale skin he’d always admired. With a trembling hand, Tony had reached out and placed his fingers beneath the man’s jaw.  
There was nothing. Not even a flutter.  
Still shaking like a leaf, Tony gathered the  former god into his arms, the cold flesh of his face finding its way into the crook of the engineer’s neck. Tony rocked back and forth, holding tight to his whole world and pleading with him in broken repetitions of his name.  
Tony had no idea how long they sat there for, how long Edward had screamed for, or how long it took for him to realize that Loki was dead.

He didn’t even notice when Fenrir, Hela, and the twins had come to visit. He didn’t hear the sounds around him and when the EMTs had tried to pry him away from Loki he had just held his former god tighter. He wouldn’t let go. He would never let go.  
They had said that there was nothing anyone could have done. His heart was in such terrible condition that it had likely stopped and Loki had gone before even he realized what was happening.

Tony had convinced himself that it was okay. He’d convinced himself that Loki had died before and he always came back. He always came back for his Anthony, no matter what.  
But somehow, this felt different. And even though Tony kept his expression strong because he truly believed that Loki was coming back, the others seemed to know otherwise.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Tony had been drunk at the funeral. It was shocking how many people showed up, and Edie had mentioned it had been something like 300 people. Tony didn’t know. He had spent most of the funeral sitting on the wet ground with his head rested back against the casket, eyes glazed over. Hela, bless her blackened heart, had bought a ring box to set on top of the casket where they’d placed Loki’s rings, even after Tony protested, saying that Loki would miss them when he woke up.

When they’d buried Loki, Tony had to be pried off of the mahogany casket shouting to anyone who would listen that Loki wouldn't be able to breathe if they put him beneath the earth. The looks he got from the crowd, from his family even, were only of sympathy and horror.  
Tony had waited expectantly in the penthouse for two months. He wouldn’t sleep, he wouldn't eat, he wouldn't even talk to anyone. He just sat in their bedroom with a handful of roses, waiting because he knew Loki would come home soon.

But he never came home. On the first day of the fifth month, Tony started drinking again. By the last day of the fifth month, he had passed out drunk nearly every night. The twins and Fenrir had moved into the tower, along with Sleipnir. Jor had offered but Hela suggested that too many people might crowd Tony, so they remained in the Malibu home.

It had been six months.  
And Loki was never coming home.  
Tony knew that now.

Fenrir trudged along the hallway, the bouquet of white lilies held out in front of him like they were poison. He opened the door to the guest room Tony had been staying in and set them on the floor.  
“Wha’s that?” Tony asked through a mouthful of bourbon.  
Fenrir shrugged. “Lilies. Just got dropped off.”  
Tony screwed up his face, annoyed. “Who th’ hell would do that?”  
Fenrir shrugged again and lifted the little card out of its holder. And turned ghost white.  
“What? Wha’ is it?” Tony tried to stand, but was too off balance, and plopped back onto the bed.  
“To my darling Anthony; I am so sorry this happened. I must ask of you one more favour. Please take care of yourself and our family. And never, ever forget that you will always be my little king, wherever I am and wherever you are.” Fenrir read the card aloud in the softest voice that Tony had ever heard come out of his mouth. Tony jumped to his feet and stumbled hurriedly out the door and down the hallway. The deliverer was just leaving when Tony barreled past Edie and grabbed the guy by the lapels of his shirt.

“What the fuck is this? Loki is dead. Okay? He’s fucking dead. Who the hell sent this?!”  
The mans expression was that of understanding as he was shoved roughly against the wall. Edi gasped at the sudden appearance of her father and gently tugged his elbow to get him off of the delivery man.  
“Yes, Mr. Stark. This was arranged a long time ago.”  
Tony looked terribly confused, and felt it too.  
“What?”  
The delivery man gently lifted Tony’s hands from his shirt and took a step back. “The...other... Mr. Stark came in a few years ago and requested a contract be drawn up. He said that if for any reason, you were to survive him, he wanted flowers delivered from the six month mark onward, every week, for the next one hundred years.”  
Fenrir had come around the corner and, upon hearing that, slid his hand around his sister's shoulder. The gesture was so unlike Loki, but, at the same time, so very much like him.  
“But…I don't always…live here.” Tony replied stupidly.  
The delivery man nodded. “Yes we know. He arranged for different items to be delivered to each home that you and the family frequent. Once a week, for one hundred years.”  
Tony was beyond flabbergasted. That had sure as hell sobered him up quick.  
“Do you know what’s going to the other houses?”  
The man shook his head and replied, “No. I’m just the flower guy.”  
Tony called Happy thirty seconds later, asking for the jet to be prepped immediately.  
Malibu was a box of gingerbread cookies.  
Miami was a letter.  
That’s the way it always was. Loki had hand written hundreds of thousands of letters to be delivered to Tony until the man would join him again.  
Each letter was addressed to ‘my darling Anthony’ and signed ‘all my love, Lolo’.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

**-Present Day, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York-**

 

Loki sat in a vigil by his bedside, watching the flickering of his stunning dark lashes against olive skin, and wondering why he had left Tony’s side for even a moment. He should have known that, as foolish as he seemed, Doom was not an unintelligent man. And his momentary distraction using his magick to disassemble a few rogue Doombots heading his way had resulted in this. His Anthony, lying in a too deep sleep in a cold, sterile room more man than machine, given the numerous contraptions keeping him breathing. The children, those born of his other lovers and his and Anthony’s as well, had come back and forth between the hospital and Stark Tower. It was hard for them, truly, to see the man that they’d come to know as their father in such a wretched state. They did not entirely understand, being demigods, just how fragile the life of this mortal was. At the moment, Edward was held tightly in Loki’s grasp, sleeping softly with one tiny fist pushed out in Tonys direction, as if seeking to clasp hands with his father. The screaming of a heart monitor tore Loki from his thoughtful daze and panic set in almost immediately. With Edward still slumbering in his arms, Loki leapt to his feet and leaned over the bed where his entire world lay only to see wide brown eyes boring deep into his soul.

It had not been real.

It had been nothing at all, in fact.

A dream, a byproduct of unconsciousness. Loki, his Loki, was alive and well.

“Anthony!”  
Tony looked just as startled as Loki sounded. His hands shot out and grasped Loki’s arms, albeit shaking hands, and he dragged the man down for a near violent kiss. Loki was shocked that Tony even had the strength to do so. From within his arms, Edward started to squirm and kick, making a valiant attempt to end up lying on Tony’s bandaged chest. Tears filled the engineers eyes at the sight and he shifted one hand from its grasp on Loki’s arm to rest on Edward’s little back.

Finally, Loki regained his ability to speak, “Anthony…are you aware of where you are?”  
Tony glanced around at his surroundings with a bit of confusion and an odd look of relief that Loki could not understand.  
“No..” Tony’s voice was raw and rough from a lack of use, but he made do. He looked so much more helpless lying there in that bed, covered in a thin white sheet-his body more bandage than skin. But his eyes were still brilliant and held limitless power of knowledge and will within them. It set Loki’s heart to soaring.

“It has been three days, love. You’ve been gone three days. Since the attack.”

Loki had to stop. The look on his lovers face was just too much. He kept looking back and forth between Edward and Loki, those brilliant eyes trying to convey words he simply couldn’t speak. Loki had planned for much more elegance when he asked Tony how the man might feel about immortality. But all of that changed, the frightened look in Tony’s eyes holding full responsibility. Loki stepped to the side, and the moment he was out of reach, Tony managed to grunt out the once god’s name.

“Lo…Lokes!!”

Loki started at the sound and turned abruptly, a small case resting in his palm. Realizing that it was simple touch that Tony was after, Loki hurried back to his bedside where the injured man placed his hand around Loki’s wrist.  
“I’m right here…Anthony...” he spoke as though he were beginning to ask a question. “I...I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. I just was not sure how to approach it. But after seeing you so-“

Loki hesitated for a moment, searching for the word but coming up with nothing better than what lay on the tip of his tongue.  
“-fragile, I knew that breeching the subject was of no consequence.”

And with that, Loki opened the small case. Edward gurgled happily at the glinting object within. A single slice of some fruit lay encased in a peel of what looked like pure gold.

“For millennia, the gods of Asgard have used Idunn’s apples to maintain their youth and vitality. To consume even a single piece, as a mortal, would grant you many more years and much more strength than any mortal could wish to have.”  
Tony’s eyes widened at the prospect; not of power, but of the chance of more than one lifetime with Loki. From his place curled against Tony’s chest, Edward squealed, as though he knew what Loki offered.  
“Would you...”  
Loki trailed off when a shaking hand moved towards to case, Tony trying desperately to bring it closer.  
“I love you, Loki.”  
Loki carefully removed the apple slice from the case and sat on the edge of the bed, his free hand resting on Edwards back, his shining emerald eyes level with Tony’s golden brown.  
“I do hope you will love me for an eternity, then.”


End file.
